No desire. My brother has that rig. Way too big for my place and I'm not into luging around a rig like that. Same with guitar amps. I stopped toting a Marshall half stack around in my early 20's. No desire or need for anything that big or bigger.
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Should I buy an amp now or wait?
- Thread starter Vinnie Boombatz
- Start date
No desire. My brother has that rig. Way too big for my place and I'm not into luging around a rig like that. Same with guitar amps. I stopped toting a Marshall half stack around in my early 20's. No desire or need for anything that big or bigger.
What are you waiting for? 
Seriously, when I started playing long ago I was both inspired and motivated to play more & get better once I got my first decent amp.
I say if you like the amp and finance allow it, get it now, versus waiting.
Just make sure it's the amp you want and not buying it because of a sale..
Seriously, when I started playing long ago I was both inspired and motivated to play more & get better once I got my first decent amp.
I say if you like the amp and finance allow it, get it now, versus waiting.
Just make sure it's the amp you want and not buying it because of a sale..
Be sure to check the pots when you're playing. The V3 500s have a documented issue with a scratchy volume pot.
skip the rumble and go straight to stage rig I say! actually I went down this exact road and bought the combo after selling off my Mesa Stack years ago and bought a really nice combo (TCbg250)..I actually just started practicing with very nice headphones and a PJB big head headphone amp (not needed but absolutely crazy good bit of gear) and it has inspired me much more than the combo...you said you were looking to improve technique I honestly believe that decent headphones and the practice of recording yourself is a great way to really strengthen technique..the sound is so precise and direct whereas amps are about heightening tones.
Now I'm getting rid of the combo building a pro rig again and sticking with the headphone practicing..my thoughts are that if I'm going to make noise it better sound as good as possible or happily play through cans till I do lol. Anywho best of luck mate.
Now I'm getting rid of the combo building a pro rig again and sticking with the headphone practicing..my thoughts are that if I'm going to make noise it better sound as good as possible or happily play through cans till I do lol. Anywho best of luck mate.
The real question isn't whether you buy the Fender; the question is whether that's the best amp for you considering where you are as a bass player. Yes - having an amp that's capable of letting you hear more of what you're doing is a good thing. But is the Rumble an amp that will ultimately satisfy you? If you're going to buy an amp, just make certain that it will do what you want and need.
Well, it's a totally gigable amp from everything I read, gets plenty loud, can easily fit in my wagon and won't break my back or the bank and will pretty much work in any situation for the most part. Am I missing anything?
Something that none of us can quantify is whether or not the amp will be the one that you want to gig with once you're at that point. What you like today you may hate by the time you're ready to start playing out. Or maybe you'll love it more. So, the question is whether or not you're willing to spend that money now and potentially spend it again later.
Fender dropped the 5 year transferable warranty. They've gone to 2-year non-transferable
I bought my Fender® electronic product used. Is it still under warranty?
The net effect is If you buy a used one you could actually end up with a longer warranty on it. And still save money on Used.
I bought my Fender® electronic product used. Is it still under warranty?
The net effect is If you buy a used one you could actually end up with a longer warranty on it. And still save money on Used.
All good points. The other way to the honk about it is this is a really affordable yet capable amp. Easily enough for jams and small gigs if that ends up happening. At the moment my small place and lack of desire to shell out for and cart around a big rig is keeping me from buying something big. Also as you said, my tastes may change down the line, and if they do I can sell the Rumble 500 for like $350 and not really be out a ton of cash in the whole grand scheme of things, right? Since I'm pretty new and haven't really found "my sound" yet, a budget amp that can hold its own seems the responsible and smart thing to do at this point. With a capable amp out of the way I can focus more on technique and practicing and jamming with buddies. As my tastes change and I find what sound I really like, then I'll shell out for something really nice. But at this point buying something really nice when I don't even have enough experience under my belt to have a solid idea to know what I really like, so it would seem foolish to drop serious money on a rig just because it's a pro rig. Or am I totally wrong on this one?
btw, this has been a great thread for me getting all these ideas and opinions from everyone. I really appreciate the time and effort from everyone taking the time to respond.
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Those are all practical reasons to buy it. I have nothing good or bad to say about the amp because I've never heard or played one. My question is whether it's your sound and if it helps you sound good and play better? In other words is it the right amp for you?
If you like the tone of the Rumble, then you will not find a better alternative for the same price. It's light, loud, looks good (IMO) and is a very good price. It also has the possibility to extend if you should need to in the future.
So, if you like the Rumble and have the cash, buy it. I did so and don't regret it for one moment.
On the other hand, there are many who don't like the tone of the Rumble, or don't like the way it looks, even some that just don't want the Fender name on their gear. In these cases, there are many many alternatives out there, and if you are willing to buy used, you could probably find a great deal.
So, if you like the Rumble and have the cash, buy it. I did so and don't regret it for one moment.
On the other hand, there are many who don't like the tone of the Rumble, or don't like the way it looks, even some that just don't want the Fender name on their gear. In these cases, there are many many alternatives out there, and if you are willing to buy used, you could probably find a great deal.
It sounds like you have really thought through what will work best for your situation and it makes a lot of sense. And as far a good sounding and gig ready combos IMO you can't do better than the Rumble 500. You will be happy you did. How long does the sale last?
I like that you've listened to opinions and have made good responses to them. You seem convinced that you're doing the right thing (and i think so too) so just get out there and buy the damn thing. 
Don't do it man! Don't give money to those mass producing bastards at fender! Go play out of your brothers SVT until you find the right used amp and speaker. You'll just be out the $200 later on. But many of us make these mistakes, I know I did. Find a used berg or some other quality speaker. If you change your mind later on, you will most likely be able to sell it for what you paid and in the mean time the sound will be so good you'll play better and enjoy more.
The rumble 500 is a great amp and should serve you well for a long time. While you can learn a lot without a decent amp, even unplugged or with headphones, I think to really fall in love with the instrument you need to feel the power of the low end that can really only come from 1 15 inch speaker, 2 12 inch speakers or 4 10s driven by a couple hundred watts. Bass is musical certainly, but it is only stringed instrument that you and the audience can literally feel.
